Puna Woman Charged in Store Thefts in Hilo, Kona

A 40-year-old Puna woman being sought by police in connection with thefts at retail stores in both Hilo and Kona has been arrested.

Mary Lolita Santos of Mountain View was arrested Nov. 20 and later charged in connection with thefts on Maka`ala Street in Hilo on May 9 and July 12, at a store on Henry Street in Kailua-Kona on July 12, and at a store in Hilo’s Waiakea Plaza on Nov. 13.

She was also arrested but not charged in connection with an investigation into an Aug. 16 incident in Kurtistown allegedly involving burglary, assault, terroristic threatening, criminal property damage, violating a protective order and interfering with the making of a 911 call. Investigations into those charges have been forwarded to county prosecutors.